The present invention relates to equipment for inspecting the welding seam of submerged - arc-welded, large pipes, involving particularly the welding seam proper and the border or edge zones of the seam as interfacing with the pipe material, for detecting any flaws.
It has been suggested to place electro-mechanical transducers in particular relation to such a welding seam and to undertake, sequentially as to each seam increment, tests for locating longitudinal flaws, transverse flaws or edge flaws. Particularly, longitudinal flaws are detected through differently positioned transducers being laterally displaced from the welding seam by different distances therefrom, so as to maximize localization of the interaction of the ultrasonic energy with the welding seam and any defect therein. Transverse flaws are detected by means of ultrasonic transducers arranged along the seam, and edge zone flaws are detected by means of transducers arranged above the border between the seam and the pipe proper.